Meals in Under 30: Gluten-Free Salmon Cakes

If you haven’t read the blog I posted last week explaining where I’ve been, here’s the short version of the longer story: I had a baby six weeks early with all that entails (a lot) while my husband started his business much earlier than we had anticipated. It equaled a very wonderful and very difficult year.

For my first recipe back, I thought I would share something that I make quite often these days. It’s a great way to get my salmon in (superfood!), it’s gluten-free, it’s delicious, and it’s so fast and easy to make! You may even have seen them on the Flurries of Flour Instagram a few months back. These cakes are full of flavor and the mayonnaise and egg make them wonderfully moist on the inside with a beautiful crust on the outside, not dry or soggy like some cakes you may have had. They are my go-to when I have no time to cook something but we need something delicious and healthy for dinner (or lunch) that the baby can eat and will like, too!

I love the way these cakes taste, but you don’t have to limit it to my recipe! Feel free to play with the amounts of spices or even switch out spices. For example, here I have Italian spice with some salt and pepper. Instead, sometimes I use the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s or even a Thai-inspired spice mix I bought from Penzy’s Spices. You can put the lemon in, take the lemon out, add more or less of the pickle, or change the salt and pepper ratio. It’s completely up to you!

Also, I make these with gluten-free breadcrumbs and an egg. You can make these easily without the egg, although they won’t stay together quite as well as with the egg.

Final note: Although I like these better pan-fried, they are very tasty baked in the oven. They don’t get quite the same crust, but it is very easy just to stick them in the oven and let then cook when you need to get a few more things on your to-do list crossed off (or, you know, you just need a few minutes to sit down—totally get you there).

I pan-fry them in a neutral oil like avocado, but coconut oil does add an interesting layer of flavor!

Done in 30 minutes, these quick-and-easy salmon cakes are simple to make, packed full of flavor, and perfectly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. You'll be craving them for brunch, lunch, and dinner!

Author: Samantha Gallegos

Recipe type: Quick and Easy

Cuisine: Fish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 cans of wild-caught salmon

¼ C. of gluten-free breadcrumbs

1 egg

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use this Paleo-friendly brand)

1 Tbsp. chopped pickles (or relish)

½ Tbsp. mustard (optional)

2 tsp. Italian spice

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. paprika (I prefer Spanish smoked paprika)

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as avocado (see note above)

For the Sauce:

½ cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. ketchup

2 tsp. chopped pickle or relish

½ tsp. lemon juice

Instructions

Either preheat a pan over medium heat or preheat the oven to 350° and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Empty the wild-caught salmon in a bowl and break the chunks up into small, uniform pieces. Add the other ingredients and mix until combined.

With your hand, form about 6 patties from the mixture and press them down to about ¾ of an inch to an inch high.

If using a pan, preheat the oil until it’s shimmering. Place several patties into the pan until they are golden brown on either side and cooked through, about four to five minutes on either side. If using the oven, place patties on the sheet pan and cook for about 10 to 15 minute, or until browned and cooked through.

For the sauce: combine all ingredients and stir to combine!

Serve with lemon slices and the sauce.

Enjoy!

3.5.3251

There you go! Hopefully, this will be the first of many new recipes to come. I will probably only post once a week at the most, but I will also be posting over on the new section of my site about parenting, anxiety, and parenting with anxiety (if you’re interested in that kind of thing).

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Meet Me…

Welcome! I'm Samantha, a mom, freelance writer and editor, foodie, dog mom, and the writer behind Flurries of Flour! I know life can get crazy, especially when you have little ones. Whether it's cooking a healthy meal when you don't have a lot of time, dealing with parenting, or overcoming anxiety, that's what Flurries of Flour is all about—doing your best one step, one hour, and one day at a time.